Ministry | Page 6 | Minivans Are Hot

The Ribbons and the Ribbon Maker

October 27, 2010 by Kelli

There were six ribbons. Each was a different length, a different size and all were quite unique. The Ribbon Maker looked at His ribbons and decided that they would be better if woven together so He carefully and skillfully began braiding them. One over another with careful precision He wound the ribbons until they were a cord.

It was a strong cord and the weaving made each ribbon stronger. Until one day one of the ribbons felt a tug. She looked up and watched as the Ribbon Maker began pulling her away. She looked at the other ribbons in the cord. “I think the Ribbon Maker is calling me away,” she said. The ribbons looked up and saw that it was so. Though it saddened them to see a piece of the cord leave, they were thrilled when the Ribbon Maker left behind a thread – a splash of the ribbon He was taking away.

“I’m going to make a new cord using this beuatiful ribbon as my starting point,” the Ribbon Maker said as He lovingly carried away his ribbon.

Then there were five ribbons. They were still strong and with time they grew tighter and tighter as a unit. Until one day one of the ribbons looked up. She felt a tug and noticed that the Ribbon Maker was looking at her. “I think the Ribbon Maker wants to take me away,” she said to the group. The other ribbons were sad. How could they remain a strong cord if another ribbon was pulled away?

Once again, as the Ribbon Maker carefully unwove His ribbon from the rest, he left behind a thin cord. Next to the other four ribbons, the two cords left behind revealed a lovely pattern. “Don’t worry,” He told his ribbons. “I’m going to take her someplace new and begin a new cord. And you all will be stronger for it.” And with that He carried the ribbon away.

For some time, the four ribbons remained and just as the Ribbon Maker promised, they grew stronger and tighter. The threads of those who were carried away remained a strong presence in their unit and they each grew strong individually as well. But one day the Ribbon Maker looked at His cord and decided it needed a new ribbon. So, as only the Ribbon Maker can, He brought in a new, vibrant ribbon to weave into His cord. It took a bit of work to fit her in just right, but with time He had her woven in such a way that it was as if she had always been there. And the cord was strong.

Until…

One of the ribbons looked up. She felt the tug and knew it was time. All of the ribbons began to wonder why the Ribbon Maker continued to pull them away when they were so strong together.

“Trust me,” said the Ribbon Maker. “I need her to start a new cord, but her presence will always remain within this cord.”

And He carefully pulled out a thread and left it behind. The cord was beautiful and strong, though the ribbons left behind felt sad as they looked around and saw how many had been tugged away. What began as six ribbons had become five, then four, then five again and now four. Four ribbons with three vibrant threads woven in. What was the Ribbon Maker up to?

“I am weaving you together to make you strong,” He told them gently. “I need you strong so that I can use you to start new cords, strengthening my other ribbons. If I leave you all together too long what use is that to the ribbons who have no one to join with them? Don’t you know that there are threads of each of you left behind in different cords? Don’t you remember how I’ve tugged you away and used you to start new cords? My ribbons are each created with a unique beauty and that beauty is only enhanced when they are woven amongst one another. But I can’t leave my ribbons in one place for too long or they get tired, comfortable, and they lose a bit of their shine. You are a beautiful cord and you have grown into strong ribbons. I am using you to weave a beautiful tapestry. Trust Me.”

“If one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.” Eccelesiastes 4:12

To the women who have been woven into my heart by the Ribbon Maker over the last year and a half, I love you. I am stronger because of you. I am grateful for you. The threads of those who have gone on (or are preparing to move on) are still visible and we continue to pray for you as you begin braiding a new cord of ribbons. You are being delicately woven in Costa Rica, in Dallas and, soon, in Cleveland. And for those who remain, I’m hanging on for ride because it appears to me that the Ribbon Maker has a grand plan for our braided little group.

Image credit

Filed Under: Life, Ministry, Random Tagged With: friendships among women, parable, story

Makes me laugh every time

March 4, 2010 by Kelli

Generally I try to avoid letting the kids watch too much television. They watch the most TV in the mornings as our afternoons are usually filled with russian lessons, cleaning up, playing outside, etc…

When I do let them watch morning TV, I try to limit it to cartoons as it’s so much easier to turn it off after 25 or 30 minutes. However, Landon has recently decided he enjoys watching TV with one particular movie being his very favorite. And because he’s so dang cute and I really, really have a hard time saying no to him when he scrunches up his face and says, “Pweas?” then flashes his huge grin that dissolves me into a puddle of goo, I decided I couldn’t say no again.

So Tia and Landon are currently sitting on the couch watching Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Or “Cwoudy with da chance of da meatball” as Tia calls it.

When I pushed play Landon jumped up and down and clapped his hands yelling “Beatball, beatball, beatball” then hugged my leg and said “I Yub You” before settling on the couch to watch. Uuummm…so I’ll give him anything he wants for the rest of his life if he keeps doing that.

He’s gonna be rotten.

The thing is, I actually really love this movie myself. I think it’s hysterical. Everytime I watch it I laugh out loud, particularly when the kids quote the lines along with the movie. Fuh-hu-nny.

So that’s it…that’s all I’ve got today. I give in to nearly every one of Landon’s requests, I would give him my heart just to hear him say “I yub you,” and I love the movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

Bet you’re glad you stopped by here today, eh?

Well, so I don’t completely waste your time, I will send you here where you can read up on the bloggers who are currently on a Compassion International trip in Kenya. I’ve already been challenged and encouraged by a couple of the posts I’ve read this morning and it’s only their first day there. If you’re not already sponsoring a child, I would encourage you to consider Compassion. What they are doing for children and families suffering in poverty is nothing short of a miracle. For 37 dollars a month, you can completely alter the course of a child’s life. Just think about it. And read their posts.

Also, my first post for STL Family Life will be up and running shortly is now up and running! So check it out this afternoon. Thanks everyone and enjoy what is shaping up to be a beautiful day.

Spring is almost here, yeah!

Filed Under: Family, Kids, Ministry, Random Tagged With: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Compassion Bloggers in Kenya, compassion international

Haiti Relief: How You Can Help

January 15, 2010 by Kelli

The pictures and projected death toll numbers coming out of Haiti are staggering. As many as 50,000 feared dead and more than 3 million stranded or injured on an island that was known for poverty before the earthquake hit. But relief and aid is on the way and for that I am grateful.

You’ve no doubt heard or seen of the numerous trustworthy and reliable organizations that you can donate to and know without doubt that your funds will be used well and fair.

Organizations like the Red Cross have already sent in teams to help with medical needs and to distribute much needed water and supplies to the survivors.

You can also give to Compassion International and World Vision, both of whom already have teams set up in Haiti and are quickly assessing the needs and distributing care and funds where needed. Both of these organizations are stellar, are prepared and will effectively use the funds they raise for the relief of the island of Haiti.

There is one other organization I’d like to make you aware of if you’re still undecided. I’ve written about IsleGo Missions before as they are an organization founded and run by my aunt and uncle out of Orlando, Florida. For a detailed description of who they are and what they do, read my previous post or visit their website. My aunt and I communicated tonight about what IsleGo is doing to respond to the tragedy and rather than try to reexplain what she told me, I’ll just paste her email here:

“As to Haiti, yes IsleGO is taking donations, people are already sending them. Dusty has a huge network base and we also have a partner in Haiti, a hospital that is about 30 miles outside of Port au Prince. This afternoon we sent 40,000 baggies of rice. Each bag has enough to feed one person, in the bag there is rice, spices and nutrients and all they have to do is boil water for have food. We are working on another 100,000 bags to get ready for delivery within the next few days. Dusty is already getting info on putting teams together by February. Anyway, to answer your question, yes we are taking donations. Thanks for asking. Checks can be made payable to IsleGO Missions.”

There is a link on the IsleGo site that leads you directly to PayPal if you would like to donate that way. If you would rather send in a check, leave me a comment and let me know and I will get you the address, or you can contact Dusty and Corinne Cooper personally through the IsleGo site.

No matter what organization you choose to donate through, I urge you all to give something. This is a massive devastation and it is within our power to help those who are suffering desperately. So I implore you to click on any one of the above links and take a few minutes to give out of the abundance with which you have received!

May you all have a blessed weekend.

Filed Under: Blogging, Ministry, Missions Weeks Tagged With: compassion international, Haiti Relief, IsleGo Missions, Red Cross, World Vision

2009 – A “Wordy” Review

January 3, 2010 by Kelli

I got this idea from C-Jane’s blog. I’m not quite as spunky a writer as she is, but I liked looking through my 2009 posts and remembering the fun and crazy words that composed and marked the past year.

January:

– The Inauguration: Thoughts From a Conservative: This was one of my few ventures into politics on my blog. I don’t do it often, but sometimes the urge to comment on the political temperature of our country gets the best of me. Political posts always lead to interesting comments. I also ended up on the news during this particular event.

– Boredom Leads to Strange Things: An Epic Battle: In which Sloan and I developed an entire story using his Star Wars figurines and a doll house.

Feburary:

Hoops and Tears: This was one of my more poignant and introspective posts of the year. I don’t often venture into the recesses of my heart on my blog, but this was a decisive moment in my year and it’s a prayer that my heart still whispers for my child.

The Master Cleanse: A Reflection: Perhaps one of the funnier moments of our year. This was the description of mine and Lee’s abismal attempt at the Master Cleanse diet.

March:

Minivans are HOT!: I got my new site up and running with this post.

Memo to My Husband: My kind (and fecicious) way of asking my husband not to screw the lids of the kids’ sippy cups on so tight.

April:

Sick and Twisted or Just Plain Funny?: If my children ever end up needing professional counseling, this post may contain some explanation as to why.

Easter Blunder: My husband made a man blunder on Easter Sunday of all days. It made for a great memory…and gave me a reason to laugh at him – good naturedly of course.

May:

Can I Just Go Back To Bed?: The Infamous haircut heard ’round the world. It was Sloan’s lone foray into hair maintenance – he was fired, effective immediately and lasting for all of eternity.

The Art of Taking Tea: A friend and I threw a kick-butt tea party.

June:

The Lotus in a Field of Mud: I love yoga – I just don’t understand it…

Why I’m in Turks and Caicos: I got to take the trip of a lifetime with my mom as we travelled to her childhood home in South Caicos. It was amazing.

July: This was a big posting month for me…

Six Years: My baby turned six. *sob*

Then and Now: I took these comparitive shots of Landon on our favorite stretch of beach.

Heavy and Light: In which I go all introspective again.

I’m sorry but it’s all I’ve got today…: My pitiful, yet painfully honest, admition that I would gladly allow Zac Efron to make a Cougar out of me (though since I’ve written this post I’ve been informed that a woman in her thirties is actually referred to as a Puma).

August:

On Immunizations: I ventured into another hot topic and posted our decision to alter and withhold some immunizations for our children.

Missions Week: I hosted my first Missions Week in which I featured missions organizations and missionaries that are near and dear to my heart. You can read all of the posts by clicking on the link at the top of my page.

September:

The President’s Address to Our Children: I got political again and in doing so stepped in a big pile of *&%! This particular post ended in me getting an email from Fox and Friends to be interviewed on their morning program. Unfortunately I was out of town when they needed me and was unable to do the interview.

A Party in the Heavenlies: My son asked Jesus to be his Savior. A momentous day for sure.

October:

Don’t let the door hit you in the –: The one where I admit that sometimes my mothering skills are reduced to clapping my hands.

Pumpkins and Funnel Cakes – A Lovely Combo: I worked on taking and posting better photographs with this post.

November:

I Blame it all on Them: This post found me lamenting my dying brain cells – a phenomena I blame entirely on the children.

Mature Woman my BLEEP: My dermatologist had a severe case of verbal diarrhea.

December:

The Three Wise Men, The Construction Worker and the Lady Down the Street: This one is pretty self-explanatory.

The One Where My Mom Claws Come Out: I almost had to take a girl out at the mall. Don’t make mama bear angry!

Whew – It’s been a fun ride, this blogging thing. I’m so glad I have these stories documented and I’m so grateful to have you guys journey with us. I know I’m not the most talented writer out there and I don’t always spin the most fascinating stories, but this blog has been a fun release for me and I enjoy your company!

I’m hoping to improve my writing skills in this coming year, while also providing a fun and witty journal for my children to look back at one day. This is the literary road map of their childhoods. I just pray that I do them justice.

Happy 2010.

Which, can you believe it’s 2010? I really thought we’d have flying cars by now…and Hoverboards.

Blast those Hollywood movie makers…

Filed Under: blast from the past, Blogging, Family, funny stuff that happens, Kids, Kids do the darndest things, Life, Missions Weeks, Random

A Party in the Heavenlies

September 9, 2009 by Kelli

I don’t usually post twice in one day, and I certainly don’t have time to be doing this right now, but I can’t resist. Sloan accepted Jesus as his Savior today. And my heart is filled with all measure of joy.

When Sloan got off the school bus this morning, I could immediately tell we were in for a rough afternoon. He was just grouchy. And it took no time at all for him to end up in his room where he proceeded to throw a lovely little tantrum.

By the time lunch was over and the little kids were in bed, I was fried. I was completely done and fed up and I still had to discipline my very angry boy. After Sloan and I both calmed down, we sat to talk about his behavior. Sloan told me he was sorry and that he wished he would act better and he didn’t know why he did that.

“I know I shouldn’t yell and scream. Why do I do that?”

So we talked a little about sin and how our sin separates us from God. Then I explained to him that God gave us all forgiveness through his death on the cross, and when we acknowledge Jesus as our Savior and believe that He rose again and accepts us as we are, we can have eternal life.

We also talked about how we can pray and ask God to help us behave in a way that honors Him and in the way that we know is right.

After all this, Sloan asked me how he could ask Jesus into his heart, and he and I prayed together. And, I mean to tell you, the heavens themselves cracked open and splayed forth a song of praise within my heart.

I’ve prayed for a long time that my children would know God and that they would desire to grow in faith. I’ve also prayed that either Lee or I would be the ones to lead them to salvation. I wanted to be the one to rejoice with my child in that moment. I’m so grateful for this experience today.

Now, I realize that he’s only six and that there will be plenty more tantrums and discipline issues to come. I don’t expect him to fully understand this decision. But, I do believe that this is the start of his walk in his Christian faith. This is the moment when he grasped it with the faith of a child. As he matures, he will have to learn to make the faith that Lee and I impart to him his own.

But for now, I rejoice in the knowledge that my deepest longing for my child has come to fruition. It’s a beautiful moment.

Filed Under: Family, Kids, Life, Marriage, Ministry, Motherhood, Sloan

The Jenkins Family

August 28, 2009 by Kelli

I’m delayed getting this up, but wanted to finish out Missions Week with this family.

Jenkins Dan and Sue Jenkins, along with their three children, will head to Costa Rica in the next couple of months to serve as permanent missionaries. Rather than try to sum up what they’re going to do, I’m going to let Sue tell you herself.

What will you and Dan be doing in Costa Rica?

Dan will establish a micro-enterprise development program for ReachGlobal in Costa Rica. Micro-enterprise development is a way of assisting impoverished peoples through small business development; business counsel/consulting; new market development; product assessment; connections to training and micro-loans (very small loans of $50, $100, etc.) that will enhance business performance and increase productivity and income. The idea is to provide people with a dignified and esteem-building path out of poverty–a means to better provide essentials (food, clothing, shelter, schooling) to one’s family.

What called you to Costa Rica in the first place?

When we applied to ReachGlobal, we were open to God’s leading, but felt a particular call to Latin America, broadly. ReachGlobal selected Costa Rica, based on a number of factors: ease of transition; centrally located to the countries in which ReachGlobal is serving in Latin America (Brazil, Honduras, Peru, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Venezuela); the regional director is serving in the same country (so Dan can work closely with him to develop the program); safety; etc.

What specific roles will you be playing, Sue? What roles will Dan be playing (i.e. what are each of you focusing on primarily in your work down there?)

Dan, I explained above. To add to it, however, he will be working alongside pastors and lay people in the congregations as a focus group to begin the program. We hope in doing so to bolster the finances of the congregations and better equip them to reach out with the Gospel message.

I will wear a number of hats: assisting with the public relations/communications of the region (by this I mean the Latin American countries in which ReachGlobal is serving); administrative duties relating to the micro-enterprise development program; donor relations & newsletter writing for our “ministry team” (i.e., Dan and I); and getting involved in a local church in children’s and/or women’s ministries.

What are specific prayer needs that you have at this moment?

Wisdom, strength & courage as we begin a brand new program for ReachGlobal. Our initial year on the field will be spent researching and developing the micro-enterprise development program while we attend language school.

Grace & peace as we adjust to a new city, home and culture.

Funding. We are encouraged, despite the economy, that people have been generous with their giving. God has blessed us with a significant portion of our needed funding; however, we have to raise the remainder of our budgets prior to our departure. (Our departure date is contingent upon this happening.)

What ways can people be involved in your work in Costa Rica?

1. Joining our support team (prayer, financial and “care” teams)

2. Telling others about our organization and what we hope to accomplish

3. Making us aware of interest (individual or church group) in short-term mission trips (we can help people get connected in this way)

When do you hope to move to Costa Rica permenantly?

We hope to move to Costa Rica by late September, but anticipate possibly needing more time than that to complete our fundraising. Fall 2009 is a good, generic answer.

If you are interested in learning of more ways that you can participate with Dan and Sue as they begin this journey, please visit their blog for more information and to contact them personally. You can also read more about them here.

It has been so much fun focusing on the ways that God’s people are reaching out to the world this week. I have enjoyed this process very much. I will be adding a new page up top with links to all of these posts so that you, and others, can be reminded of the need to pray and support those who are living in the trenches of the mission field.

There are so many others who I want to dicuss and feature – I will likely being hosting another Missions Week early next year and will try to make this a frequent occurance.

May you all have a blessed weekend.

Filed Under: Ministry, Missions Weeks Tagged With: Costa Rica, ReachGlobal

IsleGo Missions

August 27, 2009 by Kelli

islegologo2

This next organization is near and dear to my heart because it is founded and run by my aunt and uncle, Dusty and Corinne Cooper.

I’ve already told you about the amazing heritage of my family. Starting with my grandparents, my family has a long and rich history in the Caribbean. I am proud of this history.

IsleGo Missions is a unique, team-led organization with a deep love for the people with whom they work and serve. It began as a means to better connect short term mission teams relationally to those they were serving.

So often, teams of students and adults head on missions trips where they work hard at building homes, churches, hospitals and more. But many times, a key component is missing: that of building relationships.

IsleGo Missions’ purpose and reason for existence is to connect the Church of the USA with the Church everywhere else.

Says Dusty, “National pastors and churches can reach their own better than someone from outside but they are usually lacking the training, resources, and encouragement they need to see their God-given vision become reality. Connection with the Church, the Body of Christ, outside their own boundaries meets those needs while simultaneously transforming the American church as well.”

So while the teams they lead to different countries are indeed involved in the construction of buildings, the IsleGo staff member that accompanies them works to ensure that relationships are built first. These relationships are further nourished and grown through the constant communication and help received by the many mission teams that participate.

“We tell our teams they could build a cathedral to rival Notre Dame but, if they fail to build relationships during that week, then they have failed,” Dusty explains. “This is one of the reasons IsleGo, in every country we serve, works with the same established relationships that God is using to transform communities and nations. We are tied into their vision for their people that God has given them to do – We are truly partners with them.”

So where exactly does IsleGo go? Well, to name just a few places, they travel to the Bahamas, Haiti, Trinidad, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Haiti, Cuba and Brazil.

But the impact does not lie soley in the countries in which the serve. The teams of students, from high school to college age, as well as medical missionaries and pastors, young and old, they all go home challenged and encouraged in their faith.

“We emphasize that Christianity is a life of worship. Worship too often today is seen as music that moves emotions, when instead God shows worship to be a lifestyle of proclaiming His “worth-ship” in our lives. Our teams start each day with worship music and prayer as well as end the day that way. In between those events, however, we worship during the day with our work, our giving hope to others, our serving God by serving others. This also allows our team facilitators to build into the team members that what they do on this missionary journey can and should be replicated in their home church and city.” (emphasis mine)

In addition to being an amazing opportunity for growth, and the chance to visit some of the most beautiful areas in all of God’s creation, IsleGo mission trips are fun. Every team is led by IsleGo staff, my aunt and uncle often acting themselves as team leaders.

And they are crazy fun. I’m not just saying that because I’m biased. Dusty is crazy! He loves the islands, he knows the islands and he’s not afraid to have fun in the islands. I’ve even seen video of them swimming with pink dolphins. Pink dolphins! It’s just a fun organziation to travel with…and shouldn’t serving the Lord be fun?

IsleGo Missions does a great job of organizing and facilitating group trips from securing the planes tickets to housing to food and product management. They know how to get a group of people mobilized and ready to serve.

For more information on how you can be involved with IsleGo Missions, visit their website. If anything, you should probably click over just to see the amazing pictures and read the stories of what they’re accomplishing in so many areas.

If you are interested in taking a team on an IsleGo Missions project, contact Dusty or Corinne for more information.

I leave you with this final, amazing quote from Dusty regarding the heart and philosophy around IsleGo Missions:

“We see life as a journey with a “missions trip” just a missionary journey, but still only part of the life journey. The time spent overseas should be a continuation of the journey we all started when we accepted Christ, a journey that ends at the throne of God with every tongue and tribe and nation in praise of the Lamb.

It is not a “hiccup” or a parentheses in our lives but a vital part of God leading our lives from point A to point B. What He shows us on this missionary journey should become a part of who we are and our service to Him. If this happens, then missions happen wherever we are, home or abroad.”

So…will YOU Go?

Missions Week – Day One

Missions Week – Day Two

Missions Week – Day Three

Filed Under: Heritage, Ministry, Missions Weeks Tagged With: Dusty Cooper, IsleGo Missions

Servant’s Heart Ministry

August 26, 2009 by Kelli

Missions Week – Day Three: Servant’s Heart Ministry

Sometimes, it seems that if you listen closely enough, you can hear the hollow strains of an orchestra in the forground. If you stop, open your eyes and strain your ear intently, you’ll hear the soft beat of a well played harmony…

I can testify personally to the heart behind this amazing new ministry based out of Nashville, Tennessee. One of the founders, Rob Dublin, is a dear friend and is someone who, along with his wife, Kyna, has a deep love for missions.

Servant’s Heart Ministry has a unique focus. Primarily working in the Dominican Republic at this time, Servant’s Heart is working to empower and support the work of a local church, and in doing so, is impacting the lives of children and families.

Sshhh…listen – do you hear the strings?

Born out of a love for orphans, the founders of Servant’s Heart Ministry all met while actually doing ministry together. In 2006, Rob Dublin, Rex Sexton, Kenneth Hill and Jay Weinstein worked together in the country of Ukraine building homes for orphans. Upon returning to the US, they continued to meet with one another regularly and encouraged each other in their shared passion of ministering to the orphans of the world.

Add the bass…

After learning of the plight of children in the Dominican Republic, the idea of Servant’s Heart Ministry bubbled forth. With a little bit of research and a lot of planning, the four men planned their first trip to the Dominican Republic where they witnessed firsthand the cruel fate of an impoverished people.

But how did they get to the Dominican Republic? Well – that’s where the cello starts humming a harmonic continuum. Can you hear the sounds?

In a small village, roughly 45 minutes from the booming town of Santiago, people are living in extreme poverty. Children go to school where they spend roughly 4-5 hours a day learning, but receive only a small cup of milk and a piece of bread.

Sometimes that’s all those children will eat all day long.

A local church, run entirely by Dominicans, recognized the rampant hunger of the children and established a program for the kids to come to the church after school and receive a solid meal as well as spiritual training.

It’s a simple concept. Nourish the body and develop the heart. Immediately the church noticed the impact they were able to have in their community. But how would they sustain this program under such harsh conditions.

In rolls the timpany. A beautiful thunder of sound is beginning to resound.

Servant’s Heart Ministry is now working in conjunction with this local church, partnering with them to establish a feeding program, as well as providing training materials for the children, school supplies, school uniforms and so much more.

They are also working to develop a clean water program, providing filtration systems for the church and local water catchments. The money they raise will go toward power generators and food storage (refridgeration), building supplies and whatever other needs arise within the community.

Listen to the sounds. The symphony is beginning!

For now, the focus of Servant’s Heart is concentrated in this one small town in the Dominican Republic. But the vision is much grander.

In time, and as the orchestra gains momentum, there are plans to expand this model to other villages, towns and countries. The goal is to support locals – to provide them with the materials they need to minister to the people in their own backyards.

The best part of this story is that you all can be a part of the grand symphony that God Himself is conducting through this amazing ministry. There are so many ways to be involved:

Prayer. Will you pray for Servant’s Heart Ministry as they work to bring about the vision that God has laid upon their hearts? Your prayers are the whispers that drive the beat of the symphony. They are the measures within which all the notes are contained.
Donations. Of course monetary donations are always welcomed and appreciated. Funding is important in helping provide these churches and children with the things they need, like water filtration, power generators, uniforms and, most importantly, food. But Rob told me that there is also a need for supplies. They need Spanish books, literature, scriptures, coloring books, supplies for water filtration, anything that you can offer that would allow the church to better serve the children.
Your time. In 2010, Servant’s Heart will be taking a second trip to the Dominican Republic and they would like to take a team of people with them. Let’s face it – when you are living life, sometimes, going on a foreign mission trip is difficult. One of the benefits of serving on a mission trip with Servant’s Heart is that, while it is to a foreign country, it is relatively inexpensive and easy to get to. The trips last only 4-5 days and the cost is much lower than many other overseas mission trips. This makes a trip with Servant’s Heart much easier for many people. Perhaps you are one of those people?
Table Sponsorship. For Nashville residents, Thursday, October 22 is the first official fundraiser for Servant’s Heart Ministry. This would be a fabulous event to attend (it will be held at the spectacular Factory at Franklin). I encourage you to attend so you can hear in person the heart of these dedicated men as they cast their vision for the Servant’s Heart Ministry. Table sponsorship is available as an option to show your support (and you don’t even have to be a resident to do that. Wink, wink…)

For more information, please visit the Servant’s Heart Ministry website (again, I have left you a bajillion links so there’s no excuse for not at least clicking over).

You can also check out the beautiful video they put together of their first visit on their very own YouTube channel. Or, you can join their Facebook Fan Page. Or follow them on twitter. The possibilities are endless!

To contact someone personally about how you can be involved with Servant’s Heart Ministry, or to get their address so you can send supplies, click here.

God, the Almighty conductor, has lifted His Hand, tapped the music stand and begun waving His Arms, inciting a glorious melody. And, through the involvement of others, that melody will swell and grow, making something beautiful out of the ugliness that is poverty.

Will you consider joining Servant’s Heart Ministry as they change the world one child at a time?

Missions Week – Day One

Missions Week – Day Two

Filed Under: Kids, Ministry, Missions Weeks, Uncategorized Tagged With: feeding orphans, Missions Week, poverty, Servants Heart Ministry

On the Homefront

August 25, 2009 by Kelli

I was a little late in getting my requests out to the people I want to feature this week so I’m still gathering the information I need for the rest of the features. I was planning on this being my last post of the week, but I’ve decided to post it today in order to keep up the Missions Week flow.

Perhaps the most important mission any of us will ever experience is that of parenthood. Now, I realize that not everyone who reads this blog is a parent, but a majority of you are, or will be someday.

I am living my mission field every single day. And while I have deep desires to be more involved in missions outside of my home (and, truthfully, outside of my country) for now, this is where God has me.

Lee and I work really hard to support one another as the missionaries of our own little battlefield. And I call it that because every day we are waging a spiritual battle for our children. We are their intercessors at this point in their tiny lives.

Well, and also because, if you’ve spent any time with Sloan and Tia you know that it really can feel like an actual battlefield around here. They are the best of friends, but oooh m’goodness…

Each morning, before he leaves for work, Lee prays over our children. He speaks blessing over them. And he rarely forgets. Unless he has to leave the house before they wake up, he blesses them before walking out the door.

The kids have come to so expect and look forward to this that on the rare mornings when Lee forgets or is in a rush, they remind him to bless them before leaving.

It looks a little like this:

Summer '09 146

Summer '09 147

The reason I don’t have a shot of him praying over Sloan is because the day I took these, Sloan had already left for school.

Lee and I are working hard to establish in our children the idea that there really is no place like home. We want them to know that home is safe, home is a place where they will experience blessing and love. We want them to know that no matter what happens in life, they can always return to the comfort of home.

As Laura Ingalls said in the first episode of Little House on the Prairie, “Home is the nicest word there is.”

Season 1, Episode 1 – Harvest of Friends…Yes, I’m a geek, but didn’t that little bit of TV knowledge fit perfectly with what I’m trying to say today? You. are. welcome.

Aaaaanyhooo…

I’m so thankful for a husband who is willing to take his role as leader of our family seriously. Praying blessing over our children is not something that comes naturally to me. I have a hard time with it and so I am grateful for my husband, who so naturally speaks the blessings of God over our children.

His prayers over them usually go something like this:

Lord, I pray for Sloan today. I pray that you reign down your blessings upon him – that you go before him as he goes about his day. I pray that he would know how loved he is today, not just by his family, but by you, God. I pray that you would give him a spirit of peace and of obedience. I pray that he would be a leader in his class today. Lord, we thank you for Sloan and the blessing he is in our lives…

And that’s all there is to it. It takes less than a minute, but the impact is eternal.

I would encourage all of you to take the time in your days to speak blessings over your children. If, like me, it doesn’t come naturally, then I urge you to pray for them on your own. We are in a time and age when our children’s generation could potentially suffer greatly. We need to be paving the way ahead of them with our faithful prayers.

So today’s mission focus is the family. May you all be encouraged…

Filed Under: Family, Heritage, Kids, Ministry, Missions Weeks, Motherhood Tagged With: Little House on the Prairie, Missions Week

Compassion International

August 24, 2009 by Kelli

I’ve written about Compassion International before, and they are a large organization, so what I’m going to tell you may not be new information, but it is information that bears repeating.

I love this organization. They are well run, well led and are really making a huge impact worldwide in children’s lives.

I’ve been to areas of the world where poverty runs rampant. I’ve seen children living in conditions that are heart-wrenching, filthy and, seemingly, destitute. I’ve looked into the eyes of children who have nothing and I’ve listened to their sweet voices, all inflected with the same innocence that my own children possess. Here or there, rich or poor, children are still children and they need love, care and…well, compassion.

So what exactly does Compassion International do? I’m so glad you asked! Because that’s why I’m writing up this little feature. To tell you what they do…

The better question to ask, though, is probably what doesn’t Compassion International do? From their Child Survival Program, where they provide prenatal care to pregnant mothers and offer preventative medications to children to give them the healthiest life possible, to their Child Sponsorship Program, where they offer children the funds to receive educational, spiritual and vocational training so that those same children can grow into self-sustaining adults, to the Leadership Development Program, which allows those excelling in high school who have a desire to pursue post-secondary education the opportunity to do so through help in funding – through all of these amazing programs, Compassion is changing the world.

Have any of you ever looked into the eyes of someone who has lost hope? Have you ever seen the hollow chasm of a lost future? It’s so easy to forget that there is a world of desperation out there. But, through organizations like Compassion International (and another group that I’ll tell you about in a couple of days…oh, I can’t wait!) there are simple and easy ways that you and I can help be a part of this global impact.

Do you realize what I’m saying? With minimal effort, you can restore hope to a child who’s lost the spark? It takes a few short minutes to sign up and requires a fraction of a fraction of your monthly income. And just like that, a life is changed.

The Stuart family have been a child sponsor for a couple of months now and I will testify to the fact that it is immensely fulfilling to know that 6-year-old Jonri in Indonesia now has opportunity that he did not have before. I love hearing our kids pray for him at dinner time. I don’t love them fighting over who gets to sit “next” to him (his picture is on the fridge) but I’ll take it because it means they’ve embraced the concept. It’s very sweet to watch them get the idea of blessing others out of the abundance with which we ourselves have been blessed.

Another thing about Compassion that has impressed me is their spectacular use of social media. The internet is used to bring so much pain, so much destruction, so much hurt to the world. But Compassion is using the internet to the glory of God.

Through their Compassion International Bloggers, Compassion is reaching a whole new world and generation with their mission for changing children’s lives. They are using new media brilliantly and with great intention. And, by doing so, they have expanded their message tenfold. And I believe God is blessing the ministry because of their faithful obedience to Him.

To get more information about Compassion International and child sponsorship, visit their website. You can also follow them on Twitter at @compassion or follow Shaun Groves (@theshaungroves), who is their Blogger Relationship Manager and fields the blogger trips to compassion sponsored areas. The next trip they will take is to El Salvador and two of the bloggers going on that trip are Kelly and Dana, two fantastic bloggy ladies who will do a spectacular job of spreading Compassion’s message even further.

(Incidentally, Shaun and I are both graduates of Baylor where we both participated in Baylor Religious Hour Choir. Shaun graduated a few years before me, so we never met, but this practically makes us related, so I feel like I can write about him as though he’s my BFF – even though he doesn’t know me from Adam. Is that kind of creepy? No? It’s fine you say? Great – so go visit my BFF, Shaun’s site, and learn more about him and about Compassion!)

Compassion International is a great organization to be involved in, if you are looking for a way to live out your faith tangibly. If you’re still not sure, jump over to their site (I’ve left you about a thousand links in this post so you should be able to find your way over there for more information).

Or you can keep checking back all week this week to find other people and organizations that you can be involved in. But, no matter what, may you all leave your computers encouraged to know that there are ways that you, too, can make an impact on the kingdom of heaven – both great and small!

May you have a blessed day…

Filed Under: Blogging, Missions Weeks Tagged With: Compassion Bloggers, compassion international